Chu Xuan watched Huikong, whose face was a mix of shock and anger, and his own expression was as calm as still water. Had he been observing from the rooftop all this time for nothing?

He had already noticed that every time Huikong activated the Suppression Evil Rune, the patterns on his body would light up briefly. Clearly, damaging these patterns would greatly reduce the rune's power or even neutralize it entirely. Even if he didn't know the exact method to break the rune, he could deduce as much just by observing!

"What are you, boy?" Huikong snarled, glaring at Chu Xuan menacingly.

Without a word, Chu Xuan suddenly lunged forward, Spiritual Qi bursting from the palm of his right hand, forming the semblance of a gigantic spectral claw.

Huikong, having clashed with Infinite Sect cultivators multiple times, recognized the spell instantly. "Yin Evil Demon Claw? Ridiculous, you think such a trash spell could harm me?" he scoffed, stomping the ground and drifting backward. He beckoned his khakkhara back to his side, preparing to strike at Chu Xuan.

Li Xuanming and Liu Zhenxiong, both Foundation Establishment stage cultivators themselves, were also familiar with the Yin Evil Demon Claw. It was a spell that was neither particularly strong nor particularly weak. If powered only by Spiritual Qi, it could indeed be considered quite feeble.

Moreover, Yin Evil territories were now dominated by the righteous five sects; where would ordinary demonic cultivators even acquire Yin Evil Qi?

Without Yin Evil Qi to power it, the Yin Evil Demon Claw was no different from any other Foundation Establishment stage spell.

"It's too slow, he won't even touch Huikong's clothes," Li Xuanming thought with a sigh.

The three Divine Star Sect cultivators looked at Chu Xuan with scorn. Using Yin Evil Demon Claw in this day and age seemed outdated to them.

Seeing them approach, Huikong waved them off with a commanding gesture. "Stay back, let me handle this demon spawn myself!" He was still smarting from the sneak attack that had injured him and wanted to wash away this disgrace with his own hands. He was eager to split the head of this unknown cultivator with his khakkhara.

At that moment, Chu Xuan suddenly slapped his sleeve, and, astonishingly, Yin Evil Qi surged from within it. The Yin Evil Demon Claw had barely begun to form a moment ago, and in the next instant, it was fully manifested!

Covering dozens of zhangs in a flash, the claw grabbed Huikong!

Huikong's eyes widened in utter astonishment. The claw of Yin Evil suddenly tightened its grip. He instantly felt every bone in his body crackling and popping. The bones in his arms were crushed to pieces at that moment!

"Ah!"

Huikong screamed in agony.

His scream momentarily stunned Li Xuanming, Liu Zhenxiong, and three cultivators from the Divine Star Sect.

How had the situation reversed so completely in the blink of an eye? Why had Huikong been captured by the claw of Yin Evil? Impossible!

"Could it be..."

Li Xuanming's gaze shifted, noticing the residue of Yin Evil on Chu Xuan's sleeve. He understood.

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"Junior brother Chu initially formed the claw of Yin Evil with Spiritual Qi, leading Huikong into complacency. Once Huikong relaxed, he immediately infused it with Yin Evil Qi, instantaneously materializing the formidable claw! This Yin Evil Qi is extremely pure, making the claw tremendously powerful," Li Xuanming murmured.

Liu Zhenxiong listened, his face a mask of surprise.

Yin Evil Qi! Where had Chu Xuan acquired such pure Yin Evil Qi?

Chu Xuan, watching Huikong controlled by the claw, once again activated the Evil Soul Chain, pulling fiercely, aimed straight at Huikong's head!

"Damn it! I will tear you apart! Vajra Beads!"

The pain drove Huikong to fury. He even abandoned his usual moniker of 'this monk'.

With a roar, the rosary beads flew towards Chu Xuan.

Mid-air, the string threading the beads snapped. Seventy-two beads, each the size of a thumb, hurtled toward Chu Xuan like cannonballs.

Chu Xuan gestured, and the Golden Wood Shield materialized beside him.

Clang, clang, clang!

The beads hammered on the shield, creating a sound of metal striking metal. The shield began to deform but did not shatter immediately. Only a high-grade defensive magical tool could withstand such a powerful attack!

"High-grade magical tool!"

Liu Zhenxiong's eyes widened.

Chu Xuan had only recently advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage. How had he obtained such a high-grade defensive magical tool?

Crack!

The Evil Soul Chain viciously snapped towards Huikong's head.

Huikong's pupils dilated in shock. He cried out, "Vajra Cassock!"

The cassock he had used to attack Wu Teng flew in, positioning itself above Huikong's head.

Crack!

This mid-grade magical tool was instantly severed by the Evil Soul Chain. It was as fragile as tissue paper.

"Such a powerful magical tool! It seems to be the life-bound magical tool crafted by junior brother Chu!" Liu Zhenxiong exclaimed, his face filled with awe.

"Save me! Save me now!"

Huikong cried out in terror. He had not anticipated that even the top-grade magical tool, the Vajra Beads, could not fend off this young adversary. The mid-grade magical tool, the Vajra Cassock, shattered instantly under a single blow. If his head were to be struck squarely, he would be gravely injured, if not killed outright!

The three cultivators from the Divine Star Sect immediately surrounded Chu Xuan from three directions.

"Your opponents are us!"

Li Xuanming sneered coldly, and with Liu Zhenxiong flanking him on either side, they blocked the trio's path. Despite Li Xuanming's depleted Spiritual Qi, injuries from the life-bound magical tool, and wounds inflicted by Huikong, he remained a prodigy of the Infinite Sect. Even now, facing two adversaries was well within his capabilities.

Huikong, witnessing this scene, was beside himself with rage. His pupils dilated in utter despair, forced to watch helplessly as the Evil Soul Chain lashed down.

"You dare kill me, my master..."

He cursed in terror, but even his threat was cut short. With a snap, the Soul Chain bisected Huikong's head. Blood and brain matter splattered everywhere!

Chu Xuan reached out, extracting the soul from Huikong's body with a swift motion, and tossed it into the Evil Soul Chain.

Inside the Evil Soul Chain already was the soul of Sun Shi, still adjusting. Huikong's soul, evidently stronger, joined it. Between them, a struggle ensued—the survivor would earn the right to become the Evil Soul Chain's spirit!

Huikong's death was nothing short of catastrophic for the three Divine Star Sect cultivators. For Li Xuanming and Liu Zhenxiong, however, it significantly boosted their morale. In less than a hundred breaths' time, the three Divine Star Sect cultivators were successively slain by Chu Xuan, along with Li Xuanming and Liu Zhenxiong.

The trio panted heavily, though with differing needs; Li Xuanming and Liu Zhenxiong genuinely needed to catch their breath, while Chu Xuan merely pretended. His life-bound worm had not yet been deployed in his battle with Huikong, so he had not played his last card or exhausted his strength. Yet, he needed to feign weariness—otherwise, he might appear too formidable.

Liu Zhenxiong exclaimed excitedly, "Junior brother Chu! You're far beyond a mere newly advanced Foundation Establishment stage! You must be at least at the second tier already, aren't you?"

Li Xuanming looked at Chu Xuan with a mix of emotions, "Junior brother Chu, you've hidden your strength well."

Chu Xuan merely smiled, "When traveling abroad, one keeps some strength hidden, no offense, Senior Brother Li."

Li Xuanming nodded, understandingly. Taking a deep breath, he solemnly said, "The obstacle is removed. Let us hasten to rescue the ancestor."

"Agreed," both Chu Xuan and Liu Zhenxiong responded gravely.